Predictors of successful endoscopic colonic polypectomy

Abstract

Background: Endoscopic polypectomy is the technique of choice for resection of colorectal polyps and has a major interest in the prevention of colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the technique, results and tolerance of colonic polypectomy.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study including 200 consecutive patients with colorectal polyps and who underwent therapeutic endoscopic polypectomy, performed at the endoscopy unit of the Military Hospital in Tunis, between december 2008 and december 2012.

Results: Hundred and forty men and 60 women were included. The average age was 58.5 ± 14.5 years. The polyp was unique in more than half of cases. The most frequent location was the sigmoid colon (30.5%). Approximately, ¼ of the polyps was larger than 10 mm. According to the Paris endoscopic classification, 78% of polyps were sessile (Is). Seventy-two percent of polyps were adenomas. Twentyfive per cent of them contained a villous component, 40 % were advanced adenomas and 3% malignant adenomas. Regarding polypectomy, 232 polyps (64%) were treated by the cold forceps, 68 polyps (18.5 %) by the diathermic snare and 63 (17.5 %) by a mucosal resection. Thirty-one percent of polypectomy were fragmented. The evaluation of the efficacy of treatment among adenomas and potentially malignant tumors, had identified 36% of treatment failure. The common independent predictive factor of fragmented resection and treatment failure were the size ≥ 10 mm (p <10-3). Among a total of 363 polypectomies, 23 (6.3%) were complicated, by 11 procedural bleeding, 11 micro-perforations and 1 delayed hemorrhage. The common independent predictive factor of these complications was the size ≥ 10 mm (p <10-3). During following, there were 12 residual polyps (6%), 36 new polyps (18%) and 6 colorectal cancers (3%). The only independent predictive factor of an unfavorable course was the multiplicity of polyps. The colorectal polyps-free survival was 90.2% at 12 months and 88.4% at 24 months.

Conclusion: The evaluation of colorectal polypectomy in our series had confirmed the effectiveness and the low morbidity of this practice. The polyp size was the only independent predictive factor of both treatment failure and complications.